Objective To investigate the expressions of 12 cytokines(IL-1β,IL-2,IL-4,IL-5,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-12p70,IL-17,IFN-α,IFN-γ,TNF-α)and procalcitonin in patients with infective endocarditis(IE).Methods Ten IE patients admitted to our hospital from December 2021 to December 2022 were included into the IE group,10 patients with non-infectious and non-rheumatic valvular diseases who were admitted to our hospital at the same period were randomly selected as the control group,and blood sampling of all patients were conducted at admission.The expressions of 12 cytokines and blood routine indexes were detected by flow cytometry,and the level of procalcitonin was detected by ELISA.The correlations among the expression levels of cytokines in IE patients were analyzed by Pearson method and the correlations of IL-8 level and white blood cell count with procalcitonin in IE patients were analyzed by Spearman method.Results Compared with the control group,the levels of cytokines of IL-1β,IL-2,IL-6,IL-10,TNF-α,IFN-α,IFN-γ and IL-12p70 in the IE group were significantly increased(P<0.05),the white blood cell count,neutrophil percentage and procalcitonin were significantly increased(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the percentage of monocytes between the two groups(P>0.05).IFN-α of IE patients was positively correlated with IL-2,TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-12p70,IL-2 was positively correlated with TNF-α and IL-1β,IL-12p70 was positively correlated with IFN-γ,and procalcitonin was significantly positively correlated with IL-8 and white blood cell count,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Conclusion The levels of IL-1β,IL-2,IL-6,IL-10,TNF-α,IFN-α,IFN-γ,IL-12p70 and procalcitonin in IE patients are significantly higher than those in the normal population,and the detections of these indicators are of guiding significance for the early diagnosis of IE and the evaluation of the severity of the disease.

Objective To compare the pharmacokinetics of crushed posaconazole enteric-coated tablets and oral suspension after intragastric administration in rabbits.Methods The experiment was designed in a randomized cross-over study.Six New Zealand rabbits were intragastrically administrated with crushed posaconazole enteric-coated tablets or suspension,and blood was collected at specific time points.The concentration of posaconazole in plasma was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography,and the pharmacokinetic parameters of both groups were calculated with DAS 2.0 software.Results The main pharmacokinetic parameters of posaconazole enteric-coated tablets and suspension were obtained as follows:AUC0-twere(40.03±5.04)and(49.92±16.09)μg·mL-1·h;AUC0-∞ were(44.00±4.50)and(51.10±16.80)μg·mL-1·h;t1/2 were(7.30±1.13)and(8.53±1.34)h;Cmrx were(3.12±0.57)and(2.78±0.60)μg·mL-1;apparent volume of distribution(Vd)were(2.40±0.34)and(2.59±0.76)L·kg-1;clearance rate(CL)were(0.23±0.02)and(0.22±0.08)L·h-1·kg.There were no statistic differences in AUC0-t,Cmax and Vd between posaconazole suspension and crushed enteric-coated tablets after intragastric administration(all P＞0.05).Conclusion There was no pharmacokinetic advantage for crushed enteric-coated tablets against oral suspension.

Objective To assess the feasibility of sound touch elastography(STE)and sound touch quantify(STQ)in convex transducer and linear transducer for female levator ani muscles stiffness assessment.Methods A total of 69 healthy volunteers underwent STE and STQ examinations of the right levator ani muscles at three different locations(anterior,middle,and posterior)during rest,contraction,and stretch states.The study analyzed the success rate,variability,and measurements(Young's modulus)of the detection techniques,as well as assessed the inter-operator and intra-operator consistency.Results Both convex transducer STE and linear transducer STQ techniques exhibited higher overall success rates and lower variability in detecting the middle segment of the levator ani muscles compared to convex transducer STQ and linear transducer STE techniques,with statistically significant differences(all P<0.05).There was statistically significant difference in the measurements of levator ani muscles detected by convex transducer STQ technique and linear transducer STE technique(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the measurements of levator ani muscles detected by convex transducer STE technique and linear transducer STQ technique(P>0.05).The inter-operator and intra-operator consistency of convex transducer STE and linear transducer STQ technology were determined to be 0.869,0.919,0.772,0.850,respectively.Conclusion Both convex transducer STE and linear transducer STQ techniques demonstrate high success rates and low variability in assessing levator ani muscles stiffness,and there was no significant difference in the measurements of them,they were suitable for clinical promotion widely.

Objective To establish the pharmacokinetic model of linezolid in neonates,and to optimize the administration regimen. Methods A prospective study was conducted among 64 neonates with sepsis who received linezolid as anti-infective therapy,and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure the plasma concentration of the drug. Clinical data were collected,and nonlinear mixed effects modeling was used to establish a population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model. Monte Carlo simulation and evaluation was performed for the optimal administration regimen of children with different features. Results The pharmacokinetic properties of linezolid in neonates could be described by a single-compartment model with primary elimination,and the population typical values for apparent volume of distribution and clearance rate were 0.79 L and 0.34 L/h,respectively. The results of goodness of fit,visualization verification,and the Bootstrap method showed that the model was robust with reliable results of parameter estimation and prediction. Monte Carlo simulation results showed that the optimal administration regimen for linezolid in neonates was as follows:6 mg/kg,q8h,at 28 weeks of gestational age (GA);8 mg/kg,q8h,at 32 weeks of GA;9 mg/kg,q8h,at 34-37 weeks of GA;11 mg/kg,q8h,at 40 weeks of GA. Conclusions The PPK model established in this study can provide a reference for individual administration of linezolid in neonates. GA and body weight at the time of administration are significant influencing factors for the clearance rate of linezolid in neonates.

Objective To explore medium and long term efficacy of oblique lateral interbody fusion(OLIF)in treating lumbar specific infection.Methods From October 2017 to January 2021,24 patients with lumbar specific infection were treated by OLIF combined with vertebral screw internal fixation,including 15 males and 9 females,aged from 27 to 61 years old with an average of(43.0±15.0)years old;the courses of disease ranged from 6 to 24 months with an average of(14.0±7.0)months;7 patients with L2-L3,12 patients with L3-L4 and 5 patients with L4-L5;19 patients with tuberculosis infection and 5 patients with brucella infection.The amount of intraoperative blood loss,operative time and complications were recorded,and erythro-cyte sedimentation rate(ESR),C-reactive protein(CRP),visual analogue scale(VAS),Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score and American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA)rating were compared before and one month after opertaion.Re-sults All patients were followed up from 9 to 24 months with an average of(13.0±6.0)months.Operative time was(132.5±21.4)min,and intraoperative blood loss was(227.3±43.1)ml.ESR and CRP were decreased from(82.34±18.62)mmol·h-1 and(53.08±21.84)mg·L-1 before operation to(33.52±17.31)mmol·h-1 and(15.48±8.36)mg·L-1 at one month after opera-tion,respectively(P＜0.05).VAS was decreased from(7.52±1.36)before opertaion to(1.74±0.87)at one month after opera-tion(P＜0.05).JOA was increased from(17.86±3.95)before operation to(24.72±3.19)at one month after operation(P＜0.05).Four patients had neurological symptoms before operation,and were classified to grade D according to ASIA classifica-tion,who were recovered to grade E at 1 month after operation.One patient was suffered from psoas major muscle injury after operation,and returned to normal at 3 weeks.One patient was suffered from abdominal distension and difficulty in defecation,and relieved after gastrointestinal decompression and enema.No complications such as abdominal organ injury and poor wound healing occurred in all patients.Conclusion OLIF combined with vertebral screw internal fixation is a new minimally invasive surgical method for the treatment of lumbar specific infection,especially the lesion located on the middle lumbar vertebra.It has advantages of less trauma,short operation time,less blood loss,convenient operation,complete removal of the lesion,safety and effectiveness,and has good medium-and long-term efficacy for lumbar specific infection.

Prunellae Spica is the dried spica of Prunella vulgaris belonging to Labiatae and it is widely used in pharmaceutical and general health fields. As a traditional Chinese medicine cultivated on a large scale, it produces a large amount of non-medicinal parts, which are discarded because they are not effectively used. To analyze the chemical constituents in the different samples from spica, seed, stem, and leaf of P. vulgaris, and explore the application value and development prospect of these parts, this study used ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupoles time of flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) to detect chemical constituents in different parts of P. vulgaris. As a result, 117 compounds were detected. Among them, 87 compounds were identified, including 32 phenolic acids, 8 flavonoids, and 45 triterpenoid saponins. Some new triterpenoid saponins containing the sugar chain with 4-6 sugar units were found. Further, multivariate statistical analysis was conducted on BPI chromatographic peaks of multiple batches of different parts, and the results showed that spica had the most abundant chemical constituents, including salviaflaside and linolenic acid highly contained in the seed and phenolic acids, flavonoids, and triterpenoid saponins in the stem and leaf. In general, the constituents in the spica were composed of those in the seed, stem, and leaf. UPLC was used to determine the content of 6 phenolic acids(danshensu, protocatechuic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, caffeic acid, salviaflaside, and rosmarinic acid) in different parts. The content of other phenolic acids in the seed was generally lower than that in the spica except that of salviaflaside. The content of salviaflaside in the spica was higher than that in the stem and leaf, but the content of other phenolic acids in the spica was not significantly different from that in the stem. The content of protocatechuic aldehyde and caffeic acid in the spica was lower than that in the leaf. DPPH free radical scavenging method was used to detect the antioxidant activity of four parts, and there was no significant difference in the antioxidant activity between the spica and the stem and leaf, but that was significantly higher than the seed. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of these parts was correlated with the content of total phenolic acids. Based on the above findings, the stem and leaf of P. vulgaris have potential application value. Considering the traditional medication rule, it is feasible to use the whole plant as a medicine. Alternatively, salviaflaside, occurring in the seed, can be used as a marker compound for the quality evaluation of Prunellae Spica, if only using spica as the medicinal part of P. vulgaris, as described in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition).
Antioxidants/chemistry* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Prunella/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Caffeic Acids ; Flavonoids/analysis* ; Triterpenes/analysis* ; Saponins ; Sugars

The Baimai Ointment with the effect of relaxing sinew and activating collaterals demonstrates a definite effect on Baimai disease with pain, spasm, stiffness and other symptoms, while the pharmacodynamic characteristics and mechanism of this agent remain unclear. In this study, a rat model of chronic compression of L4 dorsal root ganglion(CCD) was established by lumbar disc herniation, and the efficacy and mechanism of Baimai Ointment in the treatment of CCD were preliminarily explored by behavioral tests, side effect evaluation, network analysis, antagonist and molecular biology verification. The pharmacodynamic experiment indicated that Baimai Ointment significantly improved the pain thresholds(mechanical pain, thermal pain, and cold pain) and gait behavior of CCD model rats without causing tolerance or obvious toxic and side effects. Baimai Ointment inhibited the second-phase nociceptive response of mice in the formalin test, increased the hot plate threshold of normal mice, and down-regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord. Network analysis showed that Baimai Ointment had synergistic effect in the treatment of CCD and was related to descending inhibition/facilitation system and neuroinflammation. Furthermore, behavioral tests, Western blot, and immunofluorescence assay revealed that the pain-relieving effect of Baimai Ointment on CCD may be related to the regulation of the interaction between neuroactive ligand and receptors(neuroligands) such as CHRNA7, ADRA2A, and ADRB2, and the down-regulation of the expression of NOS2/pERK/PI3K, the core regulatory element of HIF-1 signaling pathway in spinal microglia. The findings preliminarily reveal the mechanism of relaxing sinew and activating collaterals of Baimai Ointment in the treatment of Baimai disease, providing a reference for the rational drug use and further research of this agent.
Rats ; Mice ; Animals ; Chronic Pain/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism* ; Ligands ; Signal Transduction ; Hyperalgesia/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at investigating the carrier rate of, and molecular variation in, α- and β-globin gene mutations in Hunan Province. METHODS: We recruited 25,946 individuals attending premarital screening from 42 districts and counties in all 14 cities of Hunan Province. Hematological screening was performed, and molecular parameters were assessed. RESULTS: The overall carrier rate of thalassemia was 7.1%, including 4.83% for α-thalassemia, 2.15% for β-thalassemia, and 0.12% for both α- and β-thalassemia. The highest carrier rate of thalassemia was in Yongzhou (14.57%). The most abundant genotype of α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia was -α ^3.7/αα (50.23%) and β ^IVS-II-654/β ^N (28.23%), respectively. Four α-globin mutations [CD108 (ACC>AAC), CAP +29 (G>C), Hb Agrinio and Hb Cervantes] and six β-globin mutations [CAP +8 (C>T), IVS-II-848 (C>T), -56 (G>C), beta nt-77 (G>C), codon 20/21 (-TGGA) and Hb Knossos] had not previously been identified in China. Furthermore, this study provides the first report of the carrier rates of abnormal hemoglobin variants and α-globin triplication in Hunan Province, which were 0.49% and 1.99%, respectively. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates the high complexity and diversity of thalassemia gene mutations in the Hunan population. The results should facilitate genetic counselling and the prevention of severe thalassemia in this region.
Humans ; beta-Thalassemia/genetics* ; alpha-Thalassemia/genetics* ; Hemoglobinopathies/genetics* ; China/epidemiology* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing

ObjectiveTo investigate the mental health of pediatricians in Guangzhou and its influencing factors， and to provide countermeasures for improving the mental health of pediatricians. MethodsA stratified random sampling method was used to randomly select 400 pediatricians in 11 districts of Guangzhou， and they were surveyed using the Symptom Check List（SCL-90） and the Job Stressor Scale. ResultsThe top three job stressors scored by pediatricians in Guangzhou were external environment （3.23±0.59）， workload （3.19±0.56）， and organizational management （2.74±0.55）. All factor scores were higher than those of the clinician group except for career interest， and the difference was statistically significant （P<0.01）. The number of pediatricians with mental health problems was 109， accounting for 27.25%. All factor scores were higher than the physician norm except for anxiety and paranoia. The correlations between each factor of work stressors and each factor of SCL-90 were positive and statistically significant （P<0.05）， except for two pairs of factors， workload and terror as well as external environment and terror. The results of univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences in the mental health scores of pediatricians with different health status， years of work experience， job satisfaction， job stress， and career prospects （P<0.05）. The results of multiple linear regression showed that health status， years of work experience， professional interest， interpersonal relationship， and doctor-patient relationship were influential factors in the mental health of pediatricians （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe mental health of pediatricians in Guangzhou is unsatisfactory， and the factors affecting them are mainly external objective factors such as workload and organizational management.

ObjectiveProlonged storage of packed red blood cells （PRBC） is reportedly associated with poor clinical outcomes in critically ill， trauma， and cardiac surgery patients. However， the impact of PRBC’s age on long-term oncological outcomes in cancer patients remains poorly defined. Here we retrospectively evaluated the effect of PRBC’s age on overall survival and biochemical recurrence in patients undergoing curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma. MethodsA total of 1 221 qualified patients undergoing curative hepatectomy for HCC between August 1， 2008 and June 30， 2012 at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center （Guangzhou， PR China） were divided into nontransfused or transfused group. Transfused patients were further divided according to PRBC storage duration （fresh PRBC group， ≤ 14 days； old PRBC group， > 14 days）. Overall survival （OS）， intrahepatic recurrence-free survival （IRFS）， extrahepatic metastasis-free survival （EMFS） were assessed and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the association of PRBC storage duration with cancer outcomes. ResultsA total of 251 （20.6%） patients received intraoperative PRBC transfusion. Of these， 112 and 125 patients were grouped in the fresh and the old PRBC groups， respectively. The Kaplan–Meier curves showed that both fresh PRBC group and old PRBC group had worse OS， IRFS， and EMFS than nontransfused group （P<0.001）. Cox regression analyses further indicated that old PRBC transfusion was an independent prognostic factor of OS （HR=1.417， P=0.049）， IRFS （HR=1.519， P=0.013） for patients with HCC； conversely， new PRBC transfusion was not. ConclusionIn patients undergoing curative hepatectomy， intraoperative transfusions of PRBC that had been stored for more than 2 weeks is independently associated with a significantly increased risk of intrahepatic recurrence and reduced overall survival.